Patent application title: SPEAKER ASSEMBLY

Abstract:

A speaker assembly (20) for use with a light bulb socket is provided. The
speaker assembly generally includes a housing (22) including an
electrical contact (26) for use with a light bulb socket for supplying
electrical power to the housing. The speaker assembly further includes a
receiver, an amplifier, and a speaker (24) being disposed within and
electrically connected to the housing, wherein the receiver receives an
audio signal and delivers it to the amplifier, and wherein the amplifier
amplifies the signal for delivery to the speaker.

Claims:

1. A speaker assembly for use with a light bulb socket, the assembly
comprising:(a) a housing including an electrical contact for use with a
light bulb socket for supplying electrical power to the housing;(b) a
receiver, an amplifier, and a speaker disposed within and electrically
connected to the housing, wherein the receiver receives an audio signal
and delivers it to the amplifier, and wherein the amplifier amplifies the
signal for delivery to the speaker; and(c) a light source disposed within
and electrically connected to the housing, wherein the speaker is at
least partially surrounded by the light source.

2. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the base portion further
includes a ballast configured for releasably receiving an electric
current to power a light source.

3. The speaker assembly of claim 2, wherein the light source is disposed
within and electrically connected to the housing, such that light
diffuses from the housing when powered by the ballast.

4. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the
speaker is surrounded by the light source so as to allow at least a
portion of the light from the light source to diffuse from an end of the
housing.

5. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the speaker is substantially
centered relative to the light source.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is selected from the
group consisting of a CFL light source, an LED light source, and an
incandescent light source.

7. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the
housing is translucent to permit light to diffuse through the housing.

8. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the
speaker is translucent to permit light to diffuse through the speaker.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact is configured
to supply electrical power to the speaker and the light source.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the electrical connectability between
the speaker and the electrical contact is independent of the electrical
connectability of the light source and the electrical contact.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the receiver is a wireless receiver.

12. A speaker assembly for use with a light bulb socket, the assembly
comprising:(a) a housing having a base portion and a cover portion
releasably coupleable to the base portion, the base portion including an
electrical contact for use with a light bulb socket for supplying
electrical power to the base portion;(b) a receiver, an amplifier, and a
speaker disposed within and electrically connected to the housing,
wherein the receiver receives an audio signal and delivers it to the
amplifier and wherein the amplifier amplifies the signal for delivery to
the speaker, the receiver and the amplifier being electrically connected
to the base portion and the speaker being electrically connected to the
cover portion; and(c) means for supplying electrical power from the base
portion to the cover portion.

13. The speaker assembly of claim 12, wherein the base portion further
includes a ballast configured for receiving an electric current to power
a light source.

14. The speaker assembly of claim 13, wherein the light source is disposed
within and electrically connected to the housing, such that light
diffuses from at least the cover portion when powered by the ballast.

15. The speaker assembly of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the
speaker is surrounded by the light source so as to allow at least a
portion of the light from the light source to diffuse from an end of the
cover portion.

16. The speaker assembly of claim 14, wherein the speaker is substantially
centered relative to the light source.

17. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the light source is selected from
the group consisting of a CFL light source, an LED light source, and an
incandescent light source.

18. The speaker assembly of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the
cover portion is translucent to permit light from the light source to
diffuse through the cover portion.

19. The speaker assembly of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the
speaker is translucent to permit light from the light source to diffuse
through the speaker.

20. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the electrical contact is configured
to supply electrical power to the speaker and the ballast.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the electrical connectability
between the speaker and the electrical contact is independent of the
electrical connectability of the ballast and the electrical contact.

22. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the receiver is a wireless receiver.

[0002]The present disclosure relates generally to speaker assemblies and,
more specifically, to speaker assemblies designed for use with light bulb
sockets.

BACKGROUND

[0003]The demand for "invisible" loudspeaker systems in homes and
businesses has driven the consumer and professional audio industries to
design less obtrusive products that are more readily integrated into home
and business environments. These products include speakers designed to
look like other non-speaker objects, very small speakers, and speakers
that can be installed in walls and ceilings. Many designers (including
homeowners, business owners, and architects) still find these products
too conspicuous or unsuitable for their individual tastes and
requirements. They may also consider the acoustical compromises required
to implement some of these designs unacceptable and the complexity of
installation for these devices excessive. In view of such difficulties,
designers may simply forego sound system installation.

[0004]Most of these same homeowners and professionals, however, are
willing to integrate visible lighting fixtures into the aesthetics of
their spaces. This acceptance may be in large part due to the lighting
industry's willingness to design and manufacture an astounding array of
product options. In that regard, almost any style can be reflected by at
least one of the available lighting alternatives. Additionally, the
relative simplicity of installation and the availability of trained
professional installers make lighting implementation simple.

[0005]Relative to the scope of available light fixture options, the number
of available light bulb package sizes and by extension, light bulb socket
sizes, has generally been standardized. It is therefore advantageous to
design a loudspeaker system that leverages off of light bulb
standardization to provide a product that is as inconspicuous and simple
to install as a light bulb. Thus, there exists a need for a quality
loudspeaker that is compatible with a standard light bulb socket.

SUMMARY

[0006]This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a
simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed
Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the
claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in
determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0007]In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a
speaker assembly for use with a light bulb socket is provided. The
speaker assembly generally includes a housing including an electrical
contact for use with a light bulb socket for supplying electrical power
to the housing. The speaker assembly further includes a receiver, an
amplifier, and a speaker disposed within and electrically connected to
the housing, wherein the receiver receives an audio signal and delivers
it to the amplifier, and wherein the amplifier amplifies the signal for
delivery to the speaker. The speaker assembly further includes a light
source disposed within and electrically connected to the housing, wherein
the speaker is at least partially surrounded by the light source.

[0008]In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a
speaker assembly or use with a light bulb socket is provided. The speaker
assembly generally includes a housing having a base portion and a cover
portion releasably coupleable to the base portion, the base portion
including an electrical contact for use with a light bulb socket for
supplying electrical power to the base portion. The speaker assembly
further includes a receiver, an amplifier, and a speaker disposed within
and electrically connected to the housing, wherein the receiver receives
an audio signal and delivers it to the amplifier and wherein the
amplifier amplifies the signal for delivery to the speaker, the receiver
and the amplifier being electrically connected to the base portion and
the speaker being electrically connected to the cover portion. The
speaker assembly further includes means for supplying electrical power
from the base portion to the cover portion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this
disclosure will become more readily appreciated by reference to the
following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a speaker assembly in accordance
with one embodiment of the present disclosure configured for a
spiral-type compact fluorescent light (CFL) light source;

[0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a speaker assembly of FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a speaker assembly in accordance with
another embodiment of the present disclosure also configured for a
spiral-type CFL light source;

[0013]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a speaker assembly of FIG. 3;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a speaker assembly in accordance
with another embodiment of the present disclosure configured for a
U-shaped bulb CFL light source;

[0015]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the speaker assembly of FIG. 5; and

[0016]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a speaker assembly in accordance
with another embodiment of the present disclosure configured for a ring
light emitting diode (LED) light source.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017]Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to
speaker assemblies designed for use with light bulb sockets. Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a speaker assembly 20 constructed in
accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The speaker
assembly 20 generally includes a housing 22 and a speaker 24 disposed
within and electrically connected to the housing 22. The housing 22 has
an electrical contact 26 for use with a light bulb socket (not shown) of
a conventional light fixture, such that the electrical contact 26
supplies electrical power to the housing 22 and, in turn, to the speaker
24 to power the speaker. The speaker assembly 20 is therefore configured
to provide simple and convenient installation of a powered speaker in a
standard light bulb socket.

[0018]The speaker assembly 20 in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1 is
designed and configured to operate as both a speaker and as a source of
light. It should be appreciated, however, that while the speaker assembly
20 may be configured to operate as both a speaker and a source of light,
it may also be configured to operate solely as a speaker. The speaker
assembly 20 includes means for an electrical connection, such as a
ballast 28, shown as a light bulb socket, for optionally powering a light
source 30, such as a light bulb. As seen in FIG. 1, the ballast 28 may be
disposed within a base portion 32 of the housing 22, as described in
greater detail below. The light source connection means may be any
suitable light bulb ballast 28, such that the light source 30 can be
replaced if needed. For example, if the light source 30 burns out, the
old light bulb can be unscrewed from the ballast 28, and a new light bulb
can be installed.

[0019]Referring to another embodiment in FIGS. 3 and 4, for which numeral
references of like elements of the speaker assembly are similar, but are
in the 100 series, the light source may be hard-wired into the ballast
128, for example, as a non-replaceable light source, such that if the
light source burns out, the speaker assembly 120 can be replaced. As will
be described in greater detail below, the light source used with the
embodiments described herein may be a compact fluorescent lighting (CFL)
light source (see FIGS. 1-6), a light emitting diode (LED) light source
(see FIG. 7), or an incandescent light source (not shown).

[0020]In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the
speaker 24 may be a full-range, 2-inch transducer similar to computer
speakers products and home theater cube speakers. It should be
appreciated that this embodiment may be frequency limited, thus requiring
subwoofers for reproducing dynamic full-range audio. In other
embodiments, the speaker may be a larger format (type R or larger PAR
designs) having a larger co-axial transducer capable of true full-range
reproduction. It should be appreciated that embodiments of the present
disclosure may be modularized such that alternate speaker types could be
selected for different speaker assemblies.

[0021]The speaker assembly 20 of the illustrated embodiment is generally
designed as a "receiver" element, configured for receiving an audio
signal. However, it should be appreciated that an assembly may also
include or be in communication with a discrete "transmitter" element,
which accepts line level audio input and broadcasts a signal on numerous
wireless channels to be received by "receiver" elements. In that regard,
it should further be appreciated that a single "transmitter" element may
transmit a signal that can be received by multiple speaker assemblies, or
"receiver" elements. In this manner, it is possible to locate multiple
speaker assemblies in a space, all receiving signals from a single
"transmitter" element.

[0022]The speaker assembly 20 includes a receiver (not shown) for
receiving an audio signal. The receiver receives an audio signal and
sends it to an amplifier (not shown). In one embodiment of the present
disclosure, the receiver is disposed within the base portion 32 of the
housing 22. The receiver is preferably an integrated wireless receiver
with multiple carrier frequency selection to allow audio that is sent
from a transmitter on a given frequency to be received by the speaker
assembly 20, when set to the same frequency, and delivered to an
amplifier input. In that regard, the speaker assembly 20 may be
configured so as to allow a user to change between frequencies to receive
different signals. Such reception may be enhanced by the use of an
optional antenna 46.

[0023]Although preferably an integrated wireless receiver, it should be
appreciated that the receiver may be configured for any format that
supports audio transmission, for example, including but not limited to,
wireless transmission and reception, modulated audio sent over the AC
power line, and a direct wired connection or plug-in to the speaker
assembly. In addition, it should be appreciated that the audio input can
be modularized, allowing for user selection of an appropriate platform.
As one non-limiting example, the speaker assembly 20 may include a
wireless receiver connectable to a PC-based USB input.

[0024]As mentioned above, the speaker 24 is a powered speaker and
therefore the speaker assembly 20 includes an amplifier (not shown). The
amplifier may be an integrated power amplifier that receives an input
from, for example, a wireless receiver and amplifies the signal for
appropriate delivery to the speaker. In one embodiment of the present
disclosure, the amplifier may be disposed within the base portion 32 of
the housing 22 and powered by the electrical contact 26 when used with a
light bulb socket.

[0025]The housing 22 is designed to house the speaker 24 and/or the light
source 30, as well as other components of the assembly 20, and to provide
protection for the same. As described in greater detail below, the
housing 22 may also be designed to enhance the acoustics and/or the
lighting quality of the assembly 20. In that regard, the speaker assembly
20 may be designed such that neither the speaker 24 nor the light source
30 substantially interferes with or substantially blocks the sound or the
light of the other.

[0026]The housing 22 may be configured to be openable, so as to allow
access to its interior, for example, for internal adjustment of the
speaker assembly 20 or replacement of the light source 30. In the
illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the housing 22 includes a base portion
32 and a cover portion 34, the cover portion 34 being coupleable to the
base portion 32. When the base portion 32 and the cover portion 34 are
coupled to one another as a housing 22, the housing 22 forms an enclosure
for the speaker 24 and the light source 30, as well as other components
of the assembly 20. It should be appreciated that the cover portion 34
may be releasably coupleable to the base portion 32. In that regard, the
base portion 32 and the cover portion 34 may include suitable mating
interfaces that are configured for releasable nesting, such as mating
twist-and-lock interfaces, magnetic interfaces, etc.

[0027]The base portion 32 serves as a base for the assembly 20 and
supports the electrical contact 26 and other various components of the
assembly 20. For example, the base portion 32 may include wiring
components to provide power from the electrical contact 26 to the various
components of the assembly 20. In that regard, the base portion 32 may
include one or more electrical connections, for example, to the speaker
24, the amplifier (not shown), and the light source 30.

[0028]The electrical connections of the speaker assembly 20 will now be
described in greater detail. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the base portion
32 includes a first end 36 and a second end 38. At the first end 36, the
base portion 32 includes an electrical contact 26 for use with a light
bulb socket. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical contact 26 of
the base portion 32 includes a socket fitting 40, such as a metal screw
base, compatible with standard domestic and international light sockets.
However, it should be appreciated that other electrical contacts and
other socket fittings are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0029]In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the base portion 32 may
include at least first and second base electrical connections (not
shown), which may be wire connections. A first base electrical connection
extends from the electrical contact 26 at the first end 36 of the base
portion 32 to the second end 38 of the base portion 32. At the second end
38, the base portion 32 includes a base terminal 54 to provide electrical
connection between the first base electrical connection and a cover
electrical contact 56 to provide power to the cover portion 34 and, in
turn, to the speaker 24, as described in greater detail below. It should
be appreciated that the first base electrical connection also provides a
connection between the receiver (not shown) and the amplifier (not shown)
located in the base portion 32, and the speaker 24 located in the cover
portion 34.

[0030]A second base electrical connection extends from the electrical
contact 26 in the base portion 32 to the ballast 28 to supply electrical
power to the ballast 28 for the light source 30. As described above, the
base electrical connections are configured to be independent of one
another to provide independent electrical connectability to the base
terminal 54 and the ballast 28. Although described as separate first and
second electrical connections, it should be appreciated that a coupled
electrical connection for the speaker 24 and the light source 30 is also
within the scope of the present disclosure. It should further be
appreciated that additional electrical connections beyond first and
second base electrical connections, whether independent or coupled, are
also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0031]The speaker assembly 20 may include suitable controls for the
speaker 24 and the light source 30. If the electrical connections are
configured to be independent of one another, then the speaker 24 and the
light source 30 may have independent controls. For example, the speaker
24 may be on when the light source 30 is either on or off, and vice
versa. In addition to on and off control, a suitable control system may
include other controls, such as sound volume, light dimming, and speaker
receiver channel control. Such controls may be located on the speaker
assembly 20. As a non-limiting example, the cover portion 34 or the base
portion 32 may be configured to be rotatable relative to the other, such
that rotation would turn the speaker 24 or the light source 30 either on
or off, or would control sound volume, light dimming, and speaker
receiver channel.

[0032]As another non-limiting example, the cover portion may include a
movable or rotatable band 380 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) or 480 (see FIG. 7) on
an exterior surface of the cover portion 334 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) or 434
(see FIG. 7) that can be rotated relative to the cover portion 334 or
434, for example, to a plurality of click stops, to control assembly
variables. As yet another non-limiting example, control buttons may be
located on the housing, such as a receiver channel control button,
including an LED screen to display the selected channel number. In
addition, it should be appreciated that such controls may be included in
a remote device, such as a hand-held remote control device including an
infrared receiver configured for suitable control of the speaker
assembly.

[0033]The cover portion 34 supports the speaker 24 and provides protection
to the speaker 24 and the light source 30, as well as other components of
the assembly 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover portion 34 is a
substantially cylindrical portion of the housing having a substantially
constant circular cross section along the length of cover portion 34.
However, it should be appreciated that other shapes besides substantially
cylindrical, for example, cross sections of various types, such as
rectangular, triangular, or other polygons, that are either constant or
vary along the length of the cover portion, are also within the scope of
the present disclosure.

[0034]The cover portion 34 has a first end 60, and a second end 62 distal
from the first end 60. The first end 60 is a substantially open end that
is designed to be proximate the base portion 32 and coupleable thereto.
As described above, the first end 60 of the cover portion 34 may be
releasably coupleable to the base portion 32 by a suitable connection
mechanism. Due to the openness of the second end 62, components of the
speaker assembly 20 can be received within the interior of the housing
22. As seen in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the light source 30,
ballast 28, and other components are all disposed within the housing 22
when the base portion 32 and the cover portion 34 are coupled to one
another.

[0035]In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the speaker 24 is mounted
at the second end 62 of the cover portion 34 to optimize the sound
delivered from the assembly 20. In that regard, the speaker 24 is mounted
at the second end 62 of the cover portion 34 such that sound is emitted
outwardly from the second end 42 of the cover portion 34. In a suitable
embodiment, the speaker 24 may be removably mounted to the second end 62
of the cover portion 34, such as by a snap fit or other removable
mounting, so as to be replaceable. In another suitable embodiment, the
speaker 24 may be rigidly adhered or molded to the second end 62 of the
cover portion 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the speaker 24 is
mounted forward of the light source 30 so as to prevent any interference
or shadowing of the acoustics delivered from the speaker 24 by the light
source 30. As mentioned above, the housing 22 may be designed to enhance
the acoustics and/or lighting quality of the assembly 20.

[0036]As mentioned above, the cover portion 34 also includes a cover
electrical contact 56 to provide power to the speaker 24. In the
illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the cover electrical contact 56 is
located at the first end 60 of the cover portion 34 and connects to an
electrical connection 58 embedded in the cover portion 34. The cover
electrical connection 58 extends from the first end 60 to the second end
62. At the first end 60 of the cover portion 34, the cover electrical
contact 56 is configured to mate with the base terminal 54 at the second
end 38 of the base portion 32 when the base portion 32 and cover portion
34 are coupled together. When joined, the cover electrical contact 56 and
the base terminal 54 align to form an electrical connection that delivers
power from the electrical contact 26 disposed within the base portion 32
to the second end 62 of the cover portion 34. Such electrical power is
transmitted to the speaker 24 and can be used to power the same by
providing a connection between the speaker 24 and the receiver (not
shown) and the amplifier (not shown), both the receiver and the amplifier
being located in the base portion 32.

[0037]Although illustrated as a mating terminal connection between the
base portion 32 and the cover portion 34, it should be appreciated that
the speaker 24 may optionally be wired by one continuous electrical
contact or wire extending from the base portion 32 to the speaker 24. In
such an embodiment, however, care would need to be taken to avoid contact
of the wiring with the light source 30 and to prevent dislocation of the
wiring during disassembly of the housing 22, for example, to replace a
burned out light source 30.

[0038]In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the speaker 24 is
substantially centered relative to the light source 30, so as to allow at
least a portion of the light emitted from the light source 30 to pass
around the outer perimeter of the speaker 24 and outwardly from the
second end 62 of the cover portion 34. In that regard, the light source
30 is a compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) spiral-type bulb that has been
specially designed to provide light in surrounding relationship with the
speaker 24. As seen in the illustrated embodiment, the CFL spiral-type
bulb has a hollow center without obstruction, such that a portion of the
speaker 24, such as the speaker driver, can fit within the center of the
spiral-type bulb. In this manner, the CFL spiral-type bulb diffuses light
around the outer perimeter of the speaker 24, such that light diffuses
from the second end 62 of the cover portion 34.

[0039]In addition to the speaker 24 being substantially centered relative
to the light source 30, the housing 22 and the speaker 24 may further be
designed to allow for maximum light diffusion from the assembly 20. In
that regard, at least a portion of the housing 22 may be translucent so
as to allow light from the light source 30 to pass through the housing
22. As seen in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the cover portion 34
is configured as being entirely translucent. It should be appreciated,
however, that any portion of the housing 22 or the cover portion 34 may
be translucent so as to desirably diffuse light. For example, if light is
preferably directed to one side of the housing 22, then only that side
need be configured as translucent. If light is preferably directed from
the second end 62 of the cover portion 34, then only the second end 62 of
the cover portion 34 need be configured as translucent. At least a
portion of the housing 22 may further be semitransulent to reduce
shadowing in the housing 22.

[0040]Moreover, at least a portion of the speaker 24 may also be
configured as translucent or semitranslucent so as to allow light from
the light source 30 to pass through the speaker 24. As a non-limiting
example, the cone 70 of the speaker 24 may be configured as a translucent
or semitranslucent portion of the speaker 24.

[0041]In the illustrated embodiment, the speaker 24 is positioned to emit
sound outwardly from the second end 62 of the cover portion 34.
Therefore, the light source 30 does not interfere or shadow the sound
from the speaker 24. However, it should be appreciated that in other
embodiments of the present disclosure, the speaker may be disposed within
the housing and/or the light source may be positioned in front of the
speaker. As a non-limiting example, the speaker may be disposed within
the base portion of the housing and the light source may be disposed
within the cover portion of the housing. In these embodiments, it should
be appreciated that the housing may be acoustically designed as a speaker
enclosure to enhance acoustic quality and/or to minimize the shadowing
effects of the light source, if in front of the speaker. Moreover, it
should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the speaker may be
affixed to the housing by an adjustable mounting device, such as a
rotating mount or a mechanical arm, so as to allow a user to position or
aim the audio output from the speaker assembly.

[0042]Now referring to FIGS. 5-7, speaker assemblies designed for use with
light bulb sockets in accordance with other embodiments of the present
disclosure will be described in greater detail. The assemblies are
substantially identical in materials and operation as the previously
described embodiments, except for differences regarding the light source,
which will be described in greater detail below. For clarity in the
ensuing descriptions, the numeral references of like elements of the
speaker assembly are similar, but are in the 300 series for the
illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, and in the 400 series for the
illustrated embodiment of FIG. 7.

[0043]In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the light source 330
is a U-shaped CFL bulb. Similar to the first embodiments, the light
source 330 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is also configured to provide light in
surrounding relationship with the speaker 324. In that regard, the CFL
U-shaped bulb has a hollow center without obstruction, such that a
portion of the speaker 324, such as the speaker coil, can fit within the
center of the bulb 330 to diffuse light around the outer perimeter of the
speaker 324 and from the second end 362 of the cover portion 334.
Moreover, the speaker 324 is substantially centered relative to the light
source 330. In the illustrated embodiment, the light source 330 further
includes a reflective tube 372 substantially centered relative to the CFL
tubes of the U-shaped bulb to provide reflective light advantages.

[0044]Referring now to FIG. 7, the light source 430 is a ring of LED
lights. Also similar to the first embodiments, the light source 430 of
FIG. 7 is also configured to provide light in surrounding relationship
with the speaker 424. In that regard, the LED lights are configured in a
ring having a hollow center without obstruction, such that a portion of
the speaker 424, such as the speaker coil, can fit within the center of
the bulb 430 to diffuse light around the outer perimeter of the speaker
424 and from one end of the housing 422. Moreover, the speaker 424 is
substantially centered relative to the light source 430. The housing 422
in the illustrated embodiment is not configured as a translucent housing
422, because the LED lights are aligned to diffuse in a particular
direction. However, it should be appreciated that the assembly 420 may be
configured to include a translucent housing and LED lights configured for
diffusion in a plurality of directions. Further concerning this
embodiment, it should be appreciated that LED lights may tend to burn
hotter than other light sources; and therefore, a light cooling device
may be configured for this embodiment to prevent overheating of the light
source.

[0045]While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described,
it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.